On Art and Ears

"Draw from life" 
...is a phrase that every kind of artist, weather writing, dancing or drawing hears as they lean to create art.

It generally means that as we create art we need to see the life around us and put in what we create so there is truth in the stories we tell. Then people can relate to it, understand it, and probably love it.

But I want to talk about "drawing from life" in a slightly more literal sense.

A Memory
When I was in college we often had professional artists come to visit to teach us stuff, be cool and generally inspire us with the awe of what we could become. One of those was Walter Rane. It's safe to say he is my favorite artist today who paints religious themed paintings. I recommended giving his site a look

As part of his visit he attended my figure drawing class and drew with us. I remember the moment I sneaked up a little ways behind him with my friends and had a look at his drawing. He had chosen a spot to sit that gave him a view of the model's back, and  more importantly the back of her head. This is a place that we as students probably had shunned wanting to draw interesting things like the face.

I remember looking at that drawing and seeing how he had drawn the back of the model's ear. It was amazing! In that moment I realized that even though I often drew while looking at the model I let my brain fill in the pieces it wanted to with out really seeing the full of life details that were right in front of me. I was drawing ears from my head. Lame.

This Sunday
I was at church drawing the people around me. Something I often do as I listen, but this week I decided to focus on certain details. I started with hair and moved onto ears. That's when I remembered my ear experience from college. I don't know how well I've applied this lesson to my art. I hope I can do a much better job "drawing from life" as I move forward as an artist.

Here is the sketchbook page from Sunday

"Draw from life"
For the visual artists the phrase has two meanings and if we take full advantage of both of them I think we can't help but create amazing art.

Kitten and other ways to be productive.

We just adopted a kitten.

She's cute and sometimes tries to clean my face while I'm asleep. I'm also more productive because of her.

Recipe: Ways to be more productive with your art
Materials needed:
1. Self control
2. Kitten  (can substitute bum glue)
3. Freedom


Step 1: Use three or more scoops of self control and face the silence.
Sometimes when I sit down to create art I am afraid of thinking. Sometimes I do everything I can to block out the silence. (and not I am not talking about those crazy aliens on Dr Who) This is the silence where my mind can think of awesome new stuff. The place in your brain that takes a little work and some quiet to get to.

But it's hard to to get there. It's easier to turn on Netflix or hulu and "listen" to movies while I make good enough stuff from my surface ideas.

When I turn off the noise all together, or turn on some good think-to-able music, then sit and work, I have more ideas, get more done in less time, and feel more refreshed when I'm done.

It's Great! But only after I get past the noise.

Suppose you don't have that many scoops of self control. Don't worry I highly reccommend getting your Freedom this way.

Freedom is software that you can use to block yourself from the internet. Just pick the  amount of time you want to make yourself work and tell it to go. Then when you would normally choose to take a little break check twitter, or browse Facebook and play bejeweled blitz etc, you can't. "Oh well", you say, "I guess I'll just keep sitting with this silence until something happens."

Sometimes I use it. Sometimes I just found self control at Sam's Club in bulk and have plenty of it. 

Step 2: Put the cat to bed
(if you are allergic or for some unknown reason don't like cats, bum glue will also work for this step. Please follow package directions.)

We got a kitten. She likes to sleep in my lap while I work. When she is asleep there I have to keep on sitting. I can't get up and eat, nap, go to the restroom, check the mail, read, go to the library, check facebook or twitter or my email, I just have to sit, and draw and think.

Kitten Variation:
We got a kitten. She likes to run around on my desk and chew my erasers, chase my pencils, and eat my snacks, while I work.

Because I this I have to keep my work area cleaner than I normally do and I can't distract myself from the silence with food as easily. In fact I usually end up hiding my trail mix, or chocolate chips from the cat and forgetting all about them. And a cleaner work space is just well... easier to work in. So it's a possibility I'll get more done AND loose some weight.

Who knew a kitten could do so much for your life. Who knew. (probably people who own cats I guess)


Love this art? Buy Prints or Cards and Gifts illustrated by Manelle.

My Sketchbook Idea Generator + Winners + Giveaway 2

Sometimes I feel like drawing but end up just staring at a blank page.

My solution?

THE SKETCHBOOK IDEA GENERATOR

This idea started at a workshop I attended about a year ago with Priscilla Burris. She had a everyone randomly write down an animal and an emotion which we then had to draw. I got an "ecstatic pig".

I enjoyed the exercise, and after some thought on it I came up with my Sketchbook Idea Generator.
I started out making some lists in a word program under the categories of: Person, Action/Emotion, Time, and Place.
This is what I came up with. (if you want to try it, feel free to print the jpg)

As you can see, some of the people aren't actually people, and things range from general to really specific. I did that on purpose

After that I printed the list, cut the words into little paper pieces and put them in envelopes in the back pocket of my sketchbook.

Now if I'm stumped on what to draw. I just pull out the envelopes, pick some papers randomly out of them, and sketch away.

I usually pick one from the person category, and anywhere from one to all of the other categories, but you can do any combo that you want.

With some of my 20 min sketches this week I've gotten: Edwardian + Cat + Car

Teenage girl + Dragon + a Snowy place

And
Clown + Sad +1700's

I'll be at it on my Sketch blog all month long so check back often to see what other ideas are generated.
You can also give it a whirl yourself. I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Now for the moment you might have been waiting for, last weeks Giveaway winner is:
# 3 Dashbo!
(winner was chosen completely at random by drawing numbers from a bowl)
contact me and I will get you your prize. 

Now if you didn't win, no worries.
There are still four more giveaways to try your typing fingers at or you can check out my print shop or card shop to get your own Manelle art right away. (once you have won you are no longer eligible to enter again)

Here is what you can win.

Three illustrated art prints. They are printed on Epson Velvet fin art paper and signed by me.
They are in two sizes one 5.75x8.5 and two 13x8.5 prints.  (not standard frame sizes)

To enter this contest here is what you need to do.

1. Comment below before Midnight MST on December 12, 2011
Tell me one or all of these things: what your favorite fairy tale is,
or if there is any art in my portfolio that you would like to see as a print,
or if you try out the "generator" I'd love a link to see your sketches.

2. Tweet or Facebook status a link back to this blog post.

I'll announce the winner next Thursday.
Good luck everyone.

Introducing... new stuff, and giving things away.

Hello my friends.
I've been pondering (probably not what you've been pondering pinky) about what to do with my blog, and I've come up with something.

The plan is this:
My new sketch blog is now here on tumblr. I will be posting on it at least 4 times a week until otherwise noted.  My sketch theme for December is "my sketchbook idea generator".

What does that mean you ask? I'll let you know next Thursday, here on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.

In Fact, I will be posting on this blog on every Thursday, also until otherwise noted.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL (I know the all caps are annoying but sometimes I just can't help it)

I also want to introduce to you my new card shop and print shop. And to celebrate the fun I'm having my first ever blog giveaway.

(I kinda love giveaways, even though I've never won anything.)

Here is what you can win.

Yes it's true, three whole signed Manelle Oliphant Illustration prints. They are in two sizes one 5.75x8.5 and two 13x8.5 prints.  (not standard frame sizes, nor are they the new and improved prints you can find in the shop.)

To enter here is what you have to do.
1. Comment on this post before midnight on Monday December 5)
2. Tweet or Facebook status a link to this blog post.

Easy!

Then I'll pick the winner randomly by putting your comment number in a hat. Then we'll have some kind of email get together where in get some into and mail the prints. (awesome!)

I'll announce the winner next Thursday here on this blog.

Ok one more thing.
I just happen to have more than one of those lovely little prints up there so I'm planning on having this give away each week for the next five. So if you keep checking back you have five chances to win. (Why not make it big, we are launching a whole new thing here?)

AND NOW THAT'S ALL for today. Don't forget to check out the shops (cards, prints), my new sketch blog , and start commenting.